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Tuesday, April 21

The Feast or Famine Dilemma

So, it's Editor Nan here today, and maybe it's not truly a dilemma like Kennedy’s Cuban Missile Crisis or
whether it’s appropriate to wear my white jeans before Memorial Day, but being
a freelance editor does often present difficult choices. It seems as if work
comes in groups. Sometimes I spend a couple of weeks or even a month with no work at all and
only a project or two way out on the horizon. When that happens, I start to
panic and so I send out little reminders to my clients that I’m still around
and available. It’s not a begging for work thing, just a gentle reminder that
I’m here if they need an editor.

My clients are terrific—I’m crazy about all of them and mostly, it seems to
be mutual because when I send out my notes, I always get a response and at
least one of them usually has a project to give me. The dilemma part comes in
when I accept a gig from one client and then another offers one and then
another. It’s great to be loved and needed, but sadly I have to tell one of
them I can’t do their job because overloading would mean not giving my best attention to each project. Turning them down makes me feel like an idiot
because I’m the one who sent them notes telling them I’m ready to work. Sheesh!
I may need to rethink my marketing strategy.

I’m not the only one with this issue—seems like this happens to all my
freelancing buddies about this time of year. We’re all looking around for work,
hoping things will pick up, and stressing over how bills will get paid if
income drops. But, somehow, although we grouse and stew, work comes along, and
then we’re all grousing and stewing because we’re covered up and can’t take a
breath.

What I need to learn is how to use the down time constructively, like,
say… writing? Rather than fussing and worrying, I should be working on my
novels, blogging, checking out other writer’s websites, promoting my books, and
catching up on the StoryWonk
podcasts. Not griping on the phone to friend Charlie about work being slow, not
checking out Facebook or Twitter, and not playing Words with Friends and Trivia
Crack on my iPhone. Heck, I could even
start my spring cleaning, pull weeds in the gardens, or pick up sticks in the
yard.

I'm terrible about using my time constructively, so I *should* have some kind of tips. Alas... What I have learned is that sometimes we need those little breaks, even if they include worry-stress. As Liz said the time with games keeps our minds sharp, I find all kinds of interesting articles on social media and sometimes story ideas form from them...if not, I always learn something new.

I'm trying hard to limit my social media time--this is the first time today I've been on since early this morning when I forgot to post this blog. (duh!) Constructive use of time seems to get harder with age...that's so not right!